


Preparation for a Duel

by Chaerring



Series: Medieval Times [1]
Category: Captain America (2011), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, But some dick froze him, F/M, Gen, Medieval-ish AU, Multi, Pepper is a Queen for real, Steve used to be the Captain of the guard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-10
Updated: 2012-06-10
Packaged: 2017-11-07 11:37:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/430695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaerring/pseuds/Chaerring
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain of the Guard Steven Rogers is about to duel "Red Skull" Schmidt for the title of Realm's Champion, but first, Queen Virginia helps him with his armor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Preparation for a Duel

**Author's Note:**

  * For [coffeebuddha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeebuddha/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I don't own any of them.
> 
> Thank you so much to TheGreatSporkWielder for dealing with my distraction and beta-ing for me.
> 
> This is a product of watching Prince Caspian helping King Edmund with his armor in Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and it's all Coffee's fault.

Sir Steven Rogers looked up as the door to his tent moved and a slim red dressed figure appeared.

"Qu-Queen Virginia? Wh-what are you doing here?" He backpedaled. "Not that you're not welcome, of course, it's your kingdom--I'm just--"

Wincing, Steven bent at the waist into a low bow and only came back up when he felt a light touch on his shoulder.

"You have no Lady or manservant to help you arm yourself, my lord. His Majesty asked if I might serve you instead, and I found the request pleasing."

Steven swallowed. This was unheard of. The queen was supposed to dress the king and the king only. For King Stark to even ask her to serve him in this way it was tantamount to being invited to their marriage bed. The queen was the most beautiful woman in the country, filled with secret smiles and powerful intelligence. For her to agree to serve him, she was giving him almost equivalent status to the king in her regard. It was simultaneously terrifying and wonderful to know the royal couple held him in such high esteem.

"King Stark requested--You found the request pleasing?"

Steven felt like an idiot repeating everything Queen Virginia said back at her, but for the life of him he couldn't manage more than that while standing in his undergarments holding the pads that went under his armor. Her lips curled ever so slightly in the half smile she was famous for as her slim hands reached forward to pull the pads from his hands. She reached up dropping the chest and back pad over his head and straightening it. It was unusual to be looking a woman nearly in the eyes instead of having to look down to see her. People often spoke of King Stark's unusual choice to take a queen taller than himself, but Steven found it easy to see why the king had chosen her.

"I found it most pleasing, and besides, there is no better way for us to show the kingdom who we favor as our Champion."

Finally something Steven could respond to without feeling like a fool.

"Should you really show favor?"

Her grin cut through the shade of the tent, bright and white.

"No, of course we shouldn't. Tony doesn't care. He'll kill Schmidt himself if he wins and you'll be champion anyway."

"Wh-what?"

The queen looked up at him shrewdly as she began to tie the smaller pads along his arms. Steven watched her fingers while she worked. They were long and thin, slender and pale like a lady's should be, but he could also see small very un-lady-like calluses on her fingers. 

"Please don't tell me you're oblivious to his dishonorable ways? We can't have a champion that doesn't respect life or honor the rules of engagement. That would be bad business for the whole kingdom."

"I had noticed, but you should still be impartial judges removed from the proceedings." 

Her eyebrow raised and she chuckled.

"Telling us how to run the kingdom?"

Steven sputtered. She obviously wasn't upset, but still he hadn't thought very hard before he had spoken. Attempting to scold the queen was probably not the smartest thing he could do.

"Sorry I-"

"Hush, Steven. It's fine. I mean, I wouldn't suggest you correct Tony in front of the Council of Lords or anything, but when we're alone, when we don't have to be the monarchs, it's alright. We're people, too, under the crowns. Which reminds me, you should call me Pepper, and Tony, Tony when we're alone."

Steven didn't understand. Those were highly personal forms of address that the court knew the king and queen used to refer to each other. 

"Your Majesty, I don't--"

Pepper's eyebrow hitched itself higher and she finished tying off the last piece of the padding on his upper body.

"I mean- Pepper, I don't understand."

She sighed and selected the first of his leg pads. One of her hands pulled at her long skirts, tugging them upward and out of her way as she knelt. Steven couldn't stop himself from catching a glimpse of her pale slender ankle. He swallowed and closed his eyes looking away from the queen kneeling between his legs. Her fingers were light on the sensitive skin on the inside of his thigh as she pulled the ties together and secured them. He had to stop himself from shivering when he felt her whole hand resting on the part of his thigh the pad didn't cover. 

"Steven, your padding is too small and very worn. You should have told us. We could have gotten you new ones that fit better."

It didn't escape his notice that she was avoiding explaining anything to him, but she was the queen and should have been concentrating on his upcoming duel, not strange overtures from the queen and king.

"It's fine. These are the ones I've always used."

Her eyes widened.

" _The same ones you were frozen in?_ "

Somehow she made him feel like he was committing a horrible crime with just that one sentence.

"Er..yes."

"That's horrible. The first thing I'm doing after you win is outfitting you with new set of pads and armor."

"That's not necessary-"

"I _insist_."

She stared up at him until he gave in and nodded before she went back to tying the pads onto his skin. She worked quickly after that securing the padding perfectly to his pants. She had finished the padding, helped him with his maille, and fastened all of his armor onto him before she spoke again. She lifted his sword and belt into her arms. 

"Steven, Tony and I, we want you to win and when you do, we'll explain things a little better, alright? I know I didn't give you the answers you wanted earlier."

Steven held his breath as she stretched around him to buckle his sword belt. Her hands rested on his chest plate and she tip toed up ever so slightly to press her lips to his. His mind reeled and she pulled away before he could figure out the proper response.

"A blessing, from your king and queen. Good luck, Captain."

Then she swept out of the tent and before he knew it a page was notifying him that it was time for the duel to commence.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no clue if/when more of this shall appear, but I've already cast Bruce as a wizard. I can't decide whether Darcy should be a saucy serving wench or a witch in training. She might end up both...idk.


End file.
